near at hand en · X
Etymology
From Middle English neyr at hand, nere atte hande, equivalent to near + at + hand.
Meanings
-
Close or nearby, in terms of distance.
Standing on the mountain above Caerphilly, one may reflect upon the gap where once stood Llanbradach Viaduct, and look near at hand upon the restored ruins of Caerphilly Castle; man labours to rebuild the mediaeval whilst he ruthlessly scraps the modern.
1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 165:
- Close, in terms of time.